Newtown witnesses testify powerfully at assault-weapons ban hearing

Neil Heslin, father of six-year-old Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victim Jesse Lewis, wipes tears as he testifies during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee February 27, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The committee held a hearing on "The Assault Weapons Ban of 2013." less

Neil Heslin, father of six-year-old Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victim Jesse Lewis, wipes tears as he testifies during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee February 27, 2013 on Capitol ... more

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Jillian Soto, sister of Sandy Hook Elementary shooting victim first-grade teacher Victoria Soto, wipes tears during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee February 27, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The committee held a hearing on "The Assault Weapons Ban of 2013." less

Donna Soto, mother of Sandy Hook Elementary shooting victim first-grade teacher Victoria Soto, holds a picture of Victoria as she listens during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee February 27, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The committee held a hearing on "The Assault Weapons Ban of 2013." less

Donna Soto, mother of Sandy Hook Elementary shooting victim first-grade teacher Victoria Soto, holds a picture of Victoria as she listens during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee February 27, ... more

U.S. attorney of the District of Colorado John Walsh testifies during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee February 27, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The committee held a hearing on "The Assault Weapons Ban of 2013." less

U.S. attorney of the District of Colorado John Walsh testifies during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee February 27, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The committee held a hearing on "The ... more

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U.S. attorney of the District of Colorado John Walsh (L) and Chief of the Milwaukee Police Department Edward Flynn (R) testify during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee February 27, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The committee held a hearing on "The Assault Weapons Ban of 2013." less

U.S. attorney of the District of Colorado John Walsh (L) and Chief of the Milwaukee Police Department Edward Flynn (R) testify during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee February 27, 2013 on ... more

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Chief of the Milwaukee Police Department Edward Flynn testifies during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee February 27, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The committee held a hearing on "The Assault Weapons Ban of 2013." less

Chief of the Milwaukee Police Department Edward Flynn testifies during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee February 27, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The committee held a hearing on "The ... more

Photo: Getty Images

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U.S. Attorney of the District of Colorado John Walsh (R) waits for the beginning of a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee February 27, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The committee held a hearing on "The Assault Weapons Ban of 2013." less

U.S. Attorney of the District of Colorado John Walsh (R) waits for the beginning of a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee February 27, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The committee held a ... more

Photo: Getty Images

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U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) (R) greets Newtown, Connecticut, middle school teachers Mary Connolly (L) and Lil Martenson (2nd L) prior to hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee February 27, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The committee held a hearing on "The Assault Weapons Ban of 2013." less

Sisters of Sandy Hook Elementary shooting victim first-grade teacher Victoria Soto, Jillian Soto (R) and Carlee Soto (L) listen during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee February 27, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The committee held a hearing on "The Assault Weapons Ban of 2013." less

Neil Heslin, father of six-year-old Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victim Jesse Lewis, holds a picture of him with Jesse as he testifies during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee February 27, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The committee held a hearing on "The Assault Weapons Ban of 2013." less

Neil Heslin, father of six-year-old Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victim Jesse Lewis, holds a picture of him with Jesse as he testifies during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee February ... more

Photo: Getty Images

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EMS medical director of the Western Connecticut Health Network William Begg (R), and Neil Heslin (L), father of six-year-old Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victim Jesse Lewis, testify during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee February 27, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The committee held a hearing on "The Assault Weapons Ban of 2013." less

EMS medical director of the Western Connecticut Health Network William Begg (R), and Neil Heslin (L), father of six-year-old Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victim Jesse Lewis, testify during a hearing ... more

Photo: Getty Images

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Mayor of Philadelphia and president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Michael Nutter (R) talks to family of Sandy Hook Elementary shooting victim first-grade teacher Victoria Soto, sisters Carlee (L) and Jillian (2nd L), mother Donna (3rd L) and father Carlos (4th L) after a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee February 27, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The committee held a hearing on "The Assault Weapons Ban of 2013." less

Mayor of Philadelphia and president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Michael Nutter (R) talks to family of Sandy Hook Elementary shooting victim first-grade teacher Victoria Soto, sisters Carlee (L) and ... more

Photo: Getty Images

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Mayor of Philadelphia and president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Michael Nutter leaves after a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee February 27, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The committee held a hearing on "The Assault Weapons Ban of 2013." less

Mayor of Philadelphia and president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Michael Nutter leaves after a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee February 27, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The ... more

The crowd at the hearing, boisterous at other times, was utterly hushed as Newtown’s Neil Heslin, father of 6-year-old Newtown victim Jesse Heslin, testified, the father’s grief pouring across the room like a tsunami wave. Most of the Republican members of the committee had left, the right side of the committee seating area conspicuously empty, but no one who was in the room could forget the father’s broken voice as he described saying goodbye to his son for the last time on the morning of last Dec. 14.

“It was 9:04 when I dropped him off with a hug and a kiss. ‘I love you and I love Mom too,’ he said to me. ‘Goodbye.’” And that was the last time I saw him, as he ducked around the corner.”

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (AFP photo)

“I remember the hug he gave me … he just held me, and he rubbed my back. … and Jesse said, ‘It’s going to be alright. Everything’s going to be okay, Dad.”

“He was six and a half. The day he was born was the happiest day of my life. The day he died was the saddest. … I was at that Sandy Hook firehouse until 1:30 in the morning — Sen. Blumenthal was there, Governor Malloy was there … that night I went home without my son to an empty house.”

“My son was brutally murdered,” he said tearfully. “He was the love of my life.”

“I fully support the Second Amendment,” he said. “(but) I had a little boy I devoted my life to.”

He said that Jesse was curious about guns — he’s gotten a BB gun the previous Christmas and Heslin had taught him gun safety — and the night before he died he was looking at a gun magazine.

Heslin said on one page was three pictures — one of a Bushmaster .223 semiautomatic rifle, one of a Glock and one of a Sig-Sauer — the three weapons Adam Lanza used the next day.

Heslin said that when he came to the Capitol Wednesday morning, he saw a guard with an assault weapon. “Protecting our Capitol, protecting us now,” he said. “But I can’t believe somebody could bring one of those into an elementary school.”

The second Newtown witness. Dr. William Begg, EMS Medical Director at Danbury Hospital and a Newtown resident, said he was at the hearing for one reason: My goal is to tell you that banning assault weapons will make a real difference.”